Hospice of Northeast Missouri provides compassionate physical, spiritual, and emotional end-of-life care. Hospice care is performed by an interdisciplinary team of professionals that includes a physician, nurses, nurses’ aides, social workers, chaplains, and volunteers. The team provides medications needed for pain management and symptom control as well as focusing on emotional and spiritual needs. They can provide medical equipment such as oxygen, hospital beds and wheelchairs and supplies such as gloves, briefs, and wound bandages. The team works with the family to coordinate a plan of care designed to meet the individual’s needs and provide support for the family or primary caregiver by providing education and assistance with hands-on care. Hospice services may be provided in a private home setting, nursing care facility, senior apartments, or an assisted living facility.
Hospice of Northeast Missouri coverage area includes Adair, Clark, Knox, Lewis, Macon, Putnam, Schuyler, Scotland, Sullivan, and Shelby counties.
Medical Director
The hospice medical director serves as an advisor to the hospice team, with expertise in symptom control, and offers consultation to the medical community. The medical director may also serve as a patient’s attending physician.
RN Case Manager
Registered Nurses specially trained in assessing a patient’s pain and symptoms create a plan of care with the patient and family designed to meet the patient’s needs and determine the frequency of visits. Nurses provide education, training, and support for the patient, family, and caregivers throughout the hospice journey. A hospice nurse is available to make visits as needed, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Hospice Aide
Hospice Aides are available to provide or assist with personal care needs of the patient. They can also provide support by providing light housekeeping to help with caregiver responsibilities.
Social Worker
Hospice social workers provide emotional and psychosocial support to the patient and family. The social worker can also help in locating available resources, coordinating, and planning for identified needs, assist with funeral planning, or other tasks as needed by the patient and family.
Spiritual Care
Hospice chaplains are available to support the spiritual beliefs and preferences of the patient. Chaplains do not replace a patient’s specific pastor or faith leader but work alongside them to provide care. Chaplains are specifically trained to provide care to all, including those who have no religious orientation.
Hospice Volunteer
Hospice volunteers are specifically trained in hospice and end-of-life issues to provide compassionate service for patients and their families and caregivers. Volunteers are a foundational part of hospice. Their duties can range from companionship with the patient, offering a respite for caregivers, crafting patient items, making phone calls as well as many other types of services.
Bereavement & Grief Support
The hospice bereavement team provides support for the family and those impacted by the loss, addressing both anticipatory grief and grief following death. Hospice families receive bereavement support up to 13 months after a death including personal visits, regular mailings, grief education and support groups. Bereavement support is also available for those in the community who have experienced the death of a loved one.